We're talking about chapters 2-3 of Sherman Alexie's Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. Over to you!
By popular demand, we're trying an experiment in which Group D wil post their questions, connections, and predictions as replies to this blog post.
We're talking about chapters 2-3 of Sherman Alexie's Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. Over to you!
62 Comments
Kizzle and Sabyn
1/31/2013 02:05:12 am
After reading the proceeding chapters it is clear that bullying is a large portion of the book. In chapter 3 Junior is beaten up by the 30 year old Andruss triplets. How can adults act so childish? Aren't adults supposed to be more mature? What influenced their lack of maturity?
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Michael Couron
1/31/2013 01:01:30 am
He does reveal his name. His name is Arnold, and his nick name is Junior
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Matt
1/30/2013 07:04:12 am
I think a lot of people can relate to the relationship of Junior and Rowdy. I personally have several friends that are basically polar opposites, but I get along with them better then a lot of people. This just goes to show that common interests and attitudes sometimes don't matter in the case of making friends.
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Thomas B
1/31/2013 04:32:06 am
Great observation, Matt! Do you think that the main character's Native American background will effect his social-engineering skills?
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shaida
1/30/2013 09:47:05 am
question: why do the teachers live in compounds? why does he feel like he should be poor?did junior look up to Rowdy as a role model in a way?
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Mr. Gooch
1/31/2013 04:37:24 am
I think that in regards to thinking he should be be poor, it's more of a feeling of resignation and hopelessness. Almost as though he believes that his lot in life is to be poor; that is, after all, what he sees all around him, it's what his parents are, it's what his neighbors are, etc. This vision of poverty becomes an expectation of poverty, and he knows that despite his best efforts he will remain in poverty.
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mason
1/31/2013 04:38:05 am
when did they say the teachers live in compounds?
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Thomas
1/30/2013 10:05:05 am
After two chapters of ATDPTI I am enjoying reading. My one comment is that I cannot understand why Sherman Alexie wrote the book with a bad case of grammar. Did he try to "dumb" it down for a younger audience, or was this not intentional. I'm really not sure if this was done purposely, but I'd appreciate a reply from someone!
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Dr Patton
1/30/2013 01:53:30 pm
Thomas, this is very perceptive, and a great question.
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Zack Purdy
1/31/2013 01:55:48 am
If you look back to the first chapter you notice the author wrote out he had "brain damage", for me I don't know if this is a real true story or a fictional true story and the character has a problem with his grammar. There are a lot of question that can lead to the answer you're looking for, but my idea for your answer is that it's just him writing it out on purpose.
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Kevin Belew
1/31/2013 04:36:56 am
I agree with Dr. Patton. The way he is choosing to write his grammar is how a teenager would right to himself in his diary. It is not for the audience but for the book.
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Sam Schoonderwoerd
1/30/2013 10:41:59 am
My biggest question about chapters 2 and 3 is why has Junior talked in depth about his parents, his best friend, his best friends parents his dog and even three bullies but he hasn't even mentioned his sisters name let alone hobbies or age?
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Ramiz
1/31/2013 01:01:50 am
Well he doesn't really interact with his sister and since this is a diary. It is written from his perspective.
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Mason
1/31/2013 04:34:31 am
I agree because that is an important for the readers to know
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Wylie
1/30/2013 10:51:15 am
I have one question and one prediction. Why does he keep talking down about his family and situation? I know that he is living in poverty and such, but why make the situation worse by being depressed about it. My prediction is that he might kind of "rise up" out of this funk that he is in throughout the first few chapters of this book.
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Dean M
1/31/2013 02:06:03 am
It seems that the feeling of desperation and escapism is common on the reservation, and unlike the adults, I think Junior is simply stating the facts of his life since he's not a part of the group that drinks them away.
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Aaron Gallagher
1/30/2013 10:57:08 am
I noticed the narrator said that he and Rowdy were inseparable, which makes me think that something is going to happen to make them angry at each other or separated from each other. I can relate to this prediction and what he is saying, I used to have a friend named Taylor and we would hang out almost everyday until he moved. A question I have is what will drive them to separation?
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Dr. Patton
1/30/2013 01:54:56 pm
That's very observant, Aaron! You're absolutely right that when a narrator makes a big deal about being "inseparable", it often means there's trouble ahead!
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Sam Schoonderwoerd
1/31/2013 04:33:29 am
I think if junior and Rowdy were to separate I think it would because Rowdy got in trouble for beating someone up so bad that he would have to go to jail
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Lizzie
1/30/2013 11:33:33 am
I think that Rowdy shaving off the eyebrows and cutting off the braids is going to come back and end up causing Junior problems in the future.
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Ray
1/31/2013 04:38:29 am
I agree. I predict that this may cause a war of revenge between the Andruss brothers and Junior and Rowdy.
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mason
1/30/2013 12:29:19 pm
why was he so mad at his dad?
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Dr. Patton
1/30/2013 01:55:43 pm
Do you mean when Oscar was sick, or another time?
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jason r
1/31/2013 01:00:31 am
He is mad at hid dad because he is often drunk and he had to put down his dog by shooting it.
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Ray
1/30/2013 02:24:21 pm
Will something happen later in the story that will affect the relationship between Junior and Rowdy in any way?
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Captain Obvious
1/31/2013 02:01:33 am
Comment deleted
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Brooke
1/30/2013 02:58:59 pm
I'm not sure if I'm jumping ahead because I've read much further than the first three chapters, but why was Mr. P trying to drive away Indian culture? Also, why did Mr. P specifically tell Junior to find hope?
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Dr. Patton
1/31/2013 12:07:59 am
Really interesting point about the "rules" - what do you think leads different communities to have different unspoken rules?
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Brooke
1/31/2013 04:33:45 am
I'm actually not too sure.
Ark
1/31/2013 04:31:57 am
I think the reason why Mr. P is telling Junior to find hope because if he finds it he will also find that ambition to do something with his life and become successful and break that cycle that everyone on the reservation seem to follow by wallowing in self-pity and being alcoholics and not taking that leap of faith to try and change their situation.
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Brooke
1/31/2013 04:37:51 am
I agree with you although I don't completely understand as to why he chose Junior specifically. I can understand that he was labeled as 'the smartest kid in school', but did Mr. P choose Junior because of his previous experiences with Mary(the sister of Junior)?
Deangelo Concepcion
1/30/2013 04:16:09 pm
What jobs do his parents have? Do the other residents on the reservation live in poverty like his family?
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Dr. Patton
1/31/2013 12:08:42 am
Interesting question! I'd assumed everyone on the reservation was poor, but I don't actually know the specifics about that.
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Aaron Gallagher
1/31/2013 04:31:27 am
do we know they even have jobs?
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Jacob Atencio
1/30/2013 04:26:36 pm
Does him being a 'cartoonist' play into his writing style? The main character seems like he wants to be noticed more than anything. Is Rowdy's name a reflection on his behavior?
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Dr. Patton
1/31/2013 12:09:22 am
That's a really interesting question - are there specific elements of the writing that strike you as cartoon-influenced?
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Jacob Atencio
1/31/2013 04:34:37 am
No, the writing itself sounds like it was written exactly like he talked, but it seems that he put more work into the pictures than the words.
Adam Lusk
1/30/2013 04:31:32 pm
Why didn't juniors mom and dad at least try to help the dog, instead of putting a bullet in it's head?
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Dr. Patton
1/31/2013 12:09:48 am
This is a good question for classroom discussion!
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Jaden
1/31/2013 01:55:38 am
It say before the dad comes home that they dont have the money and that is the worst part of being poor.
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Joseph Heo
1/31/2013 02:05:51 am
Because the family's financial situation was for the worse, there was no other option but to kill the dog. Treatment (I imagine) would be very costly. Killing is FREE
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shaida
1/31/2013 04:30:56 am
because they have no money for the health of the dod when their starving
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Mr. Gooch
1/31/2013 04:34:45 am
Alexie wrote about Junior's dad offering the justification that Oscar was suffering, and they were going to end the suffering. I think that in many ways, Junior's dad is correct; we are stewards of animals, especially pets, not their "owners." Therefore, we have an obligation to mitigate suffering and cruelty whenever possible. It clearly was not an easy decision for Junior's dad, but perhaps that says something larger about the sorts of decisions that leaders (heads of household included) need to make.
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Adrian
1/31/2013 04:36:42 am
Because he if they try to help the dog then they will need to take part of their money and supplies to care for the dog.
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Connection: The part about Oscar was heart wrenching. It reminded me of a friend of mine who works in a minimum wage job with no room for promotion. She is always terrified of taking her dog to the vet for the same reason that Junior's mom is - she just doesn't have the money to spend if it's something serious.
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Dr. Patton
1/31/2013 12:06:11 am
Regarding your question, my sense is "not much". For evidence, I cite page 11, where the narrator writes "My parents came from poor people, who came from poor people, all the way back to the very first poor people."
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Adrian Vega-Albela
1/31/2013 01:02:40 am
I feel as though the reservation kids probably know something about their past as a people. There is a quote that really struck out for me, which said: "She was a Spokane Indian and a bad liar, which didn't make any sense. We Indians really should be better liars, considering how often we've been lied to."
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1/31/2013 04:34:53 am
I would hazard a guess, that the Native Americans were taught quite a bit about their peoples past and how other civilizations, namely the American people, interacted with the Native Americans given how important that topic seems to their culture.
Sam Schoonderwoerd
1/31/2013 04:37:36 am
Absolutely, during manifest destiny many American settlers made deals with Indians about land that were never kept which forced Indians to move out or be shot
Adrian
1/31/2013 04:39:26 am
What type of jobs do the parents of the character have. since they were able to fix his teeth would that make his family middle class?
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1/31/2013 04:40:58 am
I wonder if some theme of rising from poverty will be featured in this book, although I don't think it will be a cultural event, but more from a personal standpoint.
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Kevin Belew
1/31/2013 04:41:06 am
The fact that the parents are not so financially stable is clearly stated. Have they tried to get more/better jobs to help there financial situation if not, why not then?
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Lizzie Oatley
1/31/2013 11:27:27 am
How will Mr.P play a part in Juniors life? Will he be a positive role model and someone junior looks up to?
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Sam Schoonderwoerd
1/31/2013 11:57:55 am
Why did Mr.P have this you need to get of the rez talk with junior and not his sister who, was apparently even smarter?
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Dr Patton
1/31/2013 11:47:23 pm
Really good question, Sam! Any ideas about this?
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Ray
1/31/2013 12:13:56 pm
Will he uncover more facts about is sister as the story progresses?
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Mason
1/31/2013 12:27:24 pm
how has his friend being sick gonna affect him during the rest of the book?
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Dr Patton
1/31/2013 11:46:37 pm
By "his friend", do you mean Oscar?
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mason
1/31/2013 12:34:44 pm
why did he care so much what his sister thought of him?will he stay that way during the book or will he not care what people think of him
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aaron
2/1/2013 01:00:17 am
how will his dogs death affect him? Will he get a new dog or find a new one.
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